Earlier than any crew can get too carried away about Tremendous Bowl aspirations, it must make the playoffs first.
It has by no means been simpler to make the NFL postseason. With an extra wild card crew added for every convention in 2020, 14 of the 32 NFL squads get to play within the playoffs annually.
Regardless of the league providing its largest playoff area ever, many organizations have did not capitalize. Six groups haven’t made the playoffs for the reason that NFL instituted its expanded playoff format, and one crew even has a playoff drought that spans over a decade.
Right here’s a have a look at the league’s longest postseason droughts, together with the latest playoff look for every franchise:
What’s the longest playoff drought in NFL historical past?
The three longest playoff droughts in league historical past started nicely earlier than the primary Tremendous Bowl was performed.
Two groups have gone 25 straight seasons with out making a postseason look. Washington’s drought went from 1946 by means of 1970, whereas the Chicago/St. Louis Cardinals’ drought went from 1949 by means of 1973.
The Pittsburgh Steelers nearly had a 25-year playoff drought of their very own. The crew was based in 1933 because the Pittsburgh Pirates and didn’t attain the postseason till 1947. It wasn’t till the 1972 season that the Steelers then ended a 24-year drought earlier than beginning a dynasty through the decade.
The longest playoff drought in latest historical past got here to an finish in 2020 when the Cleveland Browns earned a wild card berth after failing to succeed in the playoffs within the 17 earlier seasons. The Buffalo Payments snapped their very own 17-year streak through the 2016 season.
Which NFL crew has the longest lively playoff drought?
The New York Jets personal the longest lively playoff drought at 14 seasons after they had been formally eradicated from postseason rivalry with 4 weeks left within the common season.
The crew has not reached the postseason since making consecutive AFC Championship Sport appearances through the 2009 and 2010 seasons. Over the subsequent 13 years, New York had a 77-134 document with seven last-place finishes within the AFC East and just one above-.500 season.
After the Jets, the next-longest drought that’s nonetheless happening belongs to the Denver Broncos, who haven’t reached the playoffs since they received Tremendous Bowl 50 to cap off the 2015 season.
Each NFL crew’s most up-to-date playoff look
Right here’s a look on the final time each NFL franchise was within the playoffs:
Arizona Cardinals: 2021
Atlanta Falcons: 2017
Baltimore Ravens: 2023
Buffalo Payments: 2023
Carolina Panthers: 2017
Chicago Bears: 2020
Cincinnati Bengals: 2022
Cleveland Browns: 2023
Dallas Cowboys: 2023
Denver Broncos: 2015
Detroit Lions: 2023
Inexperienced Bay Packers: 2023
Houston Texans: 2023
Indianapolis Colts: 2020
Jacksonville Jaguars: 2022
Kansas Metropolis Chiefs: 2023
Las Vegas Raiders: 2021
Los Angeles Chargers: 2022
Los Angeles Rams: 2023
Miami Dolphins: 2023
Minnesota Vikings: 2022
New England Patriots: 2021
New Orleans Saints: 2020
New York Giants: 2022
New York Jets: 2010
Philadelphia Eagles: 2023
Pittsburgh Steelers: 2023
San Francisco 49ers: 2023
Seattle Seahawks: 2022
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 2023
Tennessee Titans: 2021
Washington Commanders: 2020
